Refrigerator



' 1,630,160 y 2 1927' a. w. BAYLESS REFRIGERATOR Filed Sep 1926 ll I 2 0 I 13 fiery am: W 305701;; INVENTOR.

Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REFRIGERATOR.

Application filed September 8, 1928. Serial 110. 134,211.

This invention relates to refrigerators, more articularly to a means for retaining the cold air in and preventing the entrance of warm air to the storage compartments of the refrigerator when the door of the latter is swung open, and the invention has for1ts' object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a door, window, panel, partition or other device, hereinafter termed a shiftable closure arranged inwardly with respect to and inde endently of the door of the retrigerator, or normally closing the entrance opening of a refrigerator storage compartment to retain the cold. air therein and prevent the entrance of warm air thereto, when the refrigerator door is swung open thereby providing for a saving of ice or electricity when electrical refrigeration is employed.

The air within the refrigerator is colder than the air in the room, so when the refrigerator door is open thecold air, as it is heavier, flows out at the bottom of the door opening and the warm air of the room rushes in to take place of the cold air. The more often the door is open the more cold air is lost and the higher the temperature in the refrigerator will remain. By providing each of the compartments of the refrigerator, with a closure, the latter being transparent, the door of the refrigerator may be opened for long periods wthout losing the cold air, et the contents of the compartment can be viewed. When a closure, in accordance with this invention is opened to place articles of food within a compartment or to withdraw articles of food from the compartment, only a very small portion 1 of the cold air is lost and not the whole amount in the compartment as when the entire front thereof is open. A closure, in accordance with this invention, is readily o ened, as well as being removably mounte in position, whereby the refrigerator can be readily cleaned when desired. The closures are mounted with respect to their compartments in a manner whereby the closures will swing from the top thereof, and under such circumstances are normally in a closed position with respect to the compartments until the closures are swung open and further more the closures areso set up whereb they do not interfere with the opening and closing movement of the refrigerator door.

Further objects of. the invention are to rovide, in a manner as hereinafter set orth, a. closure for the purpose referred to With the foregoing and other objectsrin view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arran ement of parts. as hereinafter more speci cally described and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, wherein is shown an embodiment of the lnvention, but it'is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the.

scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator with the door thereof swung open, showing the adaptation with the refrigerator storage compartments closures therefor in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a refrigerator storage. compartment closure in accordance with this invention.

A, refrigerator storage compartment closure, in accordance with this invention, is made of various sizes to fit inside of the doors of different makes of refrigerators.

from the shelves which provide in connectionwith the refrigerator body the storage compartments. The closures are swung from the top thereof and are removably connected in position, whereby they can be disconnected from the refrigerator body and the storage compartments cleaned, when'desired. The closure includes a transparent panel so that when the closure is in normal position the compartment with which it associates is not only closed, but the contents of such compartment can be viewed through with which it associates.

the closure. The closure for a compartment, in lieu of its being swung from the top thereof, can he swung from the door frame. Any suitable means can be employed for connecting the closure in position, that isto say at the top of its compartment or at the side of the compartment with which the closure is associated. The transparent panel, forming an element of the closure, can be constructed of any suitable material, such as celluloid or glass and which is attached to a suitable frame, and such frame may be set up of metallic material or wood. As illustrating one embodiment of the invention the closure is formed with a transparent panel of celluloid attached to a metallic frame and swung at, its top, such embodiment of the invention will he hereinafter more specifically referred to. It is to he understood however that any suitable means can be employed for connecting the closures in position, other than that hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 denotes the body portion of a refrigerator provided with a door frame 2, a hinged door 3, and a plurality of superposed shelves or partitions 4 which provide the storage compartments 5, 6 and 7. The top of the door frame is indicated at 8 and the bottom thereof at 9. The hinges for the door 3 are designated at 10.

It is to be understood that the number of closures employed, correspond in number to the number of the storage compartments,

and by way of example, as illustrating one' embodiment of the invention, the closure comprises a metallic frame 11 which corresponds in contour to the shape of a storage compartment as well as of a size to be of a length and width substantially equal to the height and width of the compartment Positioned at the back of frame 11 is a frame 12 formed of flexible material preferably rubber and which corresponds in contour to the shape of the frame 11 and further projects from the top, bottom and ends of the frame 11. Positioned at the back of the frame 12 and of the same size as the frame 11, is a transparent panel 13, preferably constructed, of transparent celluloid, but it is to be understood that any suitable transparent material can be employed. The frames 11 and 12 and panel 13 are riveted together as indicated at 1 1. Positioned at the rear of the panel 13 a. :ngleshaped corner braces 15 fixedly securcl in position by certain of the rivets 14. That portion of the frame 12 which projects upwardly from the frame 11 is formed with a plurality of vertically disposed slits 16 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

As illustrated by way of example, three closures are shown, and the upper of which is referred to generally by the reference character 17, the lower generally by the reference character 18 and the intermediate closure is referred to generally by the reference character 19. The closure 17 is pro vided for closing the compartment 5 to prevent the entrance of warm air thereto and for retaining the cold air therein when the refrigerator door 3 is opened, the closure 18 is employed for the same purpose in connection with the compartment 7 as that referred to with respect to the closure 17 in connection with the compartment- 5, and the closure 1.) performs the same fun tion for the compartment 6 as the closures l7 and 18 for the compartments 5 and 7.

The closure 17 is swung from its top by any suitable means. and is remorably mounted in position, and is normally positioned to close the compartment 5. As illustrated, by way of example, the means for connecting the closure 17 in position consists of a split eye 20, which depends from the top of the door frame 8 and is passed through an opening 21 formed in the top of the closure 17. Two eyes 20 are employed and which extend through the slits 16, as these latter provide clearances for the eyes 20. The closure 18, as well as the closure 19, by way of example, is connected in position by a pair of split loops 22, which extend through openings 23 formed in the closure and also through the shelf 4 at the outer end of the latter and overlap the outer edge 24 of the shelf 4. The slits 16 provide clearances for the loop 22.

The frame 12 of the closure 17 extends to the to 8 of the door frame 2 and also overlaps tlie top of the frame 12 of the closure 19. The bottom of the frame 12 of the closure 19 overlaps the top of the frame 12 of the closure 18 and the bottom of the frame 12 of the closure 18 extends to the bottom 9 of the door frame. The frames 12 of the closures 17, 18 and 19 have a close contact with the refrigerator door frame. The frames 12 are so constructed and of a size, whereby the frame 12 at the bottom of one closure slightly overlaps the top of the frame 12 of a lower closure, when the closures are in normal position, and which is as illustrated in Figure 2.

A knob or handle 25 is provided at the bottom of each of the closures to facilitate the opening thereof when desired. The

transparent panel 13 is of such length and width, as to provide for one readily viewing the entire contents of a storage compartment when a closure is in normal position.

A closure, in accordance with this invenair entering a storage compartment of the refrigerator when the refrigerator is open, it provides for a saving in ice and also of electricity when electrical refrigeration is employed. it can, easily be kept clean, it permits of the. contents of the storage compartment to be viewed without the loss of cold air, it is automatically retained in closing position with respect to the compartment with which it associates, and it does not interfere with the circulation of air in the refrigerator, therefore it is thought that the many advantages of a means for retaining the cold air in and preventing the entrance of warm air to a refrigerator storage compartment, in accordance with this invention can be readily understood. and although the preferrei'l embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of con strurtiou can be had which will fall Within thescope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim is:

1. in a. refrigerator, means for retaining cold air within a storage compartment thereof and preventing the entrance of warm air to the latter when the refrigerator door is open comprising a normally closed removable, hinged closure corresponding in contour to the shape of the storage compartment and including a transparent member and a frame of flexible material extended laterally from said member.

' 2. In a refrigerator, means for retaining cold air within a storage compartment thereof and preventing the entrance of warm air to such compartment when the refrigerator door is open comprising a normally closed removable, hinged closure corresponding in contour to the shape of the compartment and including a transparent element and a frame of flexible material extended from the top, bottom and ends of said element and further connected therewith.

3. A closure independent of a refrigerator door for closing a storage compartment of a refrigerator when the refrigerator door is open comprising a rigid frame, a flexible frame opposing and extended from said rigid frame, a transparent panel opposing said flexible frame and extending across the openings formed by said frames, means for securing said frames and panel together, and means for shiftably mounting, said frames and panel with respect to the compartmentwith which the closure is associated.

4. A closure independent of a refrigerator door for closing a storage compartment of a refrigerator when the refrigerator door is open comprising a rigid frame. a. flexible frameopposing and extended from said rigid frame, a transparent panel opposing from the top, bottom and ends of the latter,

a transparent panel opposing said flexible frame and extending across the openings formed by said frames, means for securing said fames and the panel together, and means extendin through said frames and panel for shifta ly supporting them in position.

6. Av closure for, the purpose set forth comprising a rigid frame, a flexible frame opposing the rigid frame and extending from the top, bottom and ends of the latter, atransparent panel opposing said flexible frame and extending across the openings formed by said frames, means for securing said frames and the panel together, means extending through said frames and panel for shiftably supporting them in position, and said flexible frame provided with slits to form clearances for said means.

7. A closure for the purpose set forth comprising a rigid frame, a flexible frame opposing the rigid frame and extending from the top, bottom and ends of the latter, a transparent panel opposing said flexible frame and extending; across the openings formed by said frames, means for securing said frames and the panel together, means extending through said frames and panel for shiftably supporting them in position, said flexible frame provided with slits to form clearances for said means, and a handle secured to the bottom of the rigid frame.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature hereto.

v"BENJAMIN W. BAYLESS. 

